Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

B-21 Raider procurement heads toward 200-aircraft target as DoD weighs “a lot more” buys and adds $6.1B to speed production

The Indo-Pacific Air Force commander endorsed expanding the US Air Force’s B-21 Raider acquisition plan beyond the existing 100-aircraft target to as many as 200 aircraft. At the same time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged lawmakers to consider buying “a lot more” B-21s, while the FY2027 budget request adds $6.1 billion to accelerate Northrop Grumman’s production.

Air & Space Forces Mag • Chris Gordon

Hegseth: US Will Require 'a Lot More' Than 100 B-21 Bombers

2026-04-30T17:21:08.204776-07:00
Satellite   Space Force   Bombardier   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Budgets & Spending   Space Defense & Militarization   Defense Policy  
The War Zone • Thomas Newdick

Air Force Wants To Axe Its E-11A BACN Communications Jets

By The War Zone: The Air Force wants space-based systems to take over from the E-11A in providing critical data fusion and communications relay capabilities. The Air Force wants space-based systems to take over from the E-11A in providing critical data fusion and communications relay capabilities.

Also: The Aviationist, Aviation Week and Defense Daily
2026-04-30T12:22:56.118625-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Policy & Regulation   Defense Policy  
DefenseNews.com • Michael Scanlon

From prototypes to production: US Air Force seeks nearly $1B for initial CCA procurement

By DefenseNews.com: In a first, the Air Force is asking Congress to fund the purchase of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, marking the beginning of the “loyal wingman" era.

Also: AirForceTimes, Military Times and news.ssbcrack.com
2026-04-30T11:50:00.555823-07:00
China   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Asia-Pacific (APAC)   Defense Deals  
AeroTime • Jean Carmela Lim

Chinese fighter jet sales rise after India-Pakistan conflict puts them to test

By AeroTime: China’s fighter jet manufacturers are seeing a sharp rise in sales following the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, where Chinese-built aircraft were credited by Pakistan with playing a decisive role in aerial combat.

2026-04-30T07:45:07.940758-07:00
ATC   Africa   Airports   Airline Industry & Market Trends   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Deals   Airlines  
DefenseNews.com • Linus Höller

Investigation: Russian shadow airlines use Algeria as base for secretive missions

By DefenseNews.com: Algeria has become a key customer for Russian arms at a time when Moscow has seen a slump in its military-export business after the invasion of Ukraine.

2026-04-30T04:41:46.834849-07:00
Event   Space Force   Leadership   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Defense & Militarization  
DVIDS / U.S. DoD

U.S. Space Command Takes Operational Control of Facility at Redstone Arsenal

By DVIDS / U.S. DoD: During an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander of U.S. Space Command, announced the command’s operational control of a facility located on Redstone Arsenal, April 29, 2026, in Huntsville, Alabama.

2026-04-29T19:20:27.369997-07:00